Taking Candy From a Child
by HeartAngel1796
Summary: One-Shot inspired by 'No Time Like the Past.' Little Varian is walking down the street of the capitol with a lollipop. A teenaged thief steals his candy, and another gives it back.


**Hi everybody!**

**Are u all happy that season 3 has finally begun? And more importantly, our beloved Varian is finally back?!**

**This is just a quick one-shot my brain cooked up after watching the new episode from the other day 'No Time Like the Past.' Because, come on, little four-year-old Varian? 'Nough said. **

**(I'm sticking with him still being 14 ****in present time for now, ****which would make him 4 during the time travel trip. I know a lot of time has passed since the beginning and there's a good chance he's already had his fifteenth birthday, but I'm just sticking with the age I know him by for now. Hope there is a birthday episode for him. That'd be nice). **

**Varian has always been cute, and he was even cuter in the one scene he was in in this episode. Even if it only lasted a few seconds.**

* * *

This was all too strange for Rapunzel. And she had seen a fair deal of strange since being freed from her tower and returning home.

Not only were her and Pascal back ten years in the past, but they weren't even in their own bodies. Instead, they were in the bodies of the Stabbington Brothers.

Talk about bizarre.

At least they had teenaged Eugene and Lance to help them sneak into the castle vault and get the hourglass relic that could send them back to _when_ they belong. They just had to act like the thieving brothers too avoid trying to explain what was really going on.

The group of four were sneaking around the buildings, on their way to the castle. They were hiding in the shadows of an alley, young Eugene was checking to make sure the coast was clear of guards before they crossed, when Rapunzel—though the eyes of Sideburns—spotted a familiar little boy with a head of dark hair walking down the street towards them.

There was no mistaking it. This little boy was Varian.

Rapunzel wanted to 'awww' and gust that he was such a cute toddler, but knew she had to try to act more like Sideburns. So she bit her lip and suppressed it.

He was so small but his hair was so big and puffy; dark as ever but still with that little strand of pale blue. The goggles on his head looked a little too big on him. Most likely the same ones he has when he's older. And of course, he was also wearing a little work apron and little black gloves. He really did start alchemy at a very young age.

Surprisingly, the little guy was all alone. In one of his gloved hands was a swirly orange-yellow lollipop. Rapunzel saw him lick it as he kept his eyes on the sidewalk ahead of him. Just minding his own business.

"Clear. Go!" younger Eugene whispered to the group.

As the four walked swiftly out of the alley, little Varian made it to the same spot on the sidewalk. The young lad stopped and waited for the older kids to pass him as they came out of the alley.

Lance was the last to leave the alley. But as he saw the little boy with the candy, he stopped too. Then, just for the sake of stealing, the young teen swiped the lolly right out of the child's hand and then continued to run after his companions.

Little Varian just stood there, wide-eyed for a moment, before looked at his now empty hand, which once had the treat he bought at Uncle Monty's Sweet Shop with money his daddy gave him.

His big blue eyes started to fill with tears and he gave a sad sob.

"Wahhhhhhh!" little Varian cried. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he stood there weeping at the loss of his candy.

Rapunzel, in the body of Sideburns, made it to the alley on the other side of the street. But as soon as she heard the sound of a crying child, she turned around and saw Lance coming close behind. Then she noticed the lollipop in his hand.

Looking passed him, she found little Varian standing alone back near the alley they left, crying his eyes out.

As Lance approached her, Rapunzel glared at him. She knew this wasn't the same Lance she knew from her time, but still. Stealing candy from a helpless small child? She didn't think Lance would ever be that mean.

Or would have ever been that mean?

Time travel. So confusing.

Keeping her displeased glare on the younger version of her boyfriend's best friend, Rapunzel grabbed the candy on a stick from the teen and marched back over to the side of the street they just came from.

"Siby, what are you doing?" Lance whisper-shouted after 'him.'

As Rapunzel walked up to the little crying boy rubbing his eyes, she knelt down and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Little Varian put his hands down and looked at who was with him. He was started at first, seeing one of the mean-looking teenaged boys he saw in a guard's prison wagon earlier.

"I'm sorry about that, little one," Rapunzel apologized to the teary-eyed boy before handing his lollipop back to him.

Little Varian didn't say a word. He just standing there, looking at the young thug but took the lolly back.

Rapunzel smiled. She wanted to give the sweet little child a kiss on the forehead or a hug, but that might frighten him more. Plus, she was sure the others were watching and that would look even weirder than when they saw 'Sideburns' gusting about how cute his 'twin brother' was.

So she settled for giving him an affectionate pat on the head before running off back to the others.

Little Varian watched them disappeared into the shadows of the alley across the street, still wide-eyed. After a few seconds, the little alchemist simply wiped away what moister was left on his checks, shrugged, gave his beloved lollipop a lick, and resumed his walked down the street.

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_Epilogue:_

Since returning to her own time with Pascal, Rapunzel decided some wrongs needed to be corrected.

Rapunzel—back in her own body—walked down the street towards the town blacksmith shop, determined. Behind her, Lance was being pulled along by the princess from his ear.

When they arrived, Rapunzel found who she was looking for. Today was one of the days Varian came up to the capitol to visit Xavier. She was glad the both of them had forged such a grand friendship after that team-building treasure hunt she planned for everyone a while ago.

The older blacksmith sat in a chair, an open book in his hands, and Varian was leaning against a table across from him. Both gents looked at the forge's entrance as the two approached.

"Hello Xavier," the princess happily greeted the wise and kind blacksmith with a wave. "Varian," she greeted the young alchemist the same way. Both smiled and greeted her kindly too. Then Rapunzel pulled the tall ex-thief further into the forge and finally let go of his ear. "Lance has something he would like to say to you," she said to the younger boy.

Varian stopped leaning against the table and stood up properly. He looked at the older man rubbing his poor sore ear, wondering what was going on.

When he was ready, Lance looked at the young teenager. "I'm sorry I took your lollipop from you when you were four and visiting the capitol for the day," he admitted kind of timidly. He still didn't understand how Rapunzel found out about that tiny incident from ten years ago. He didn't even know that little boy turned out to be the young alchemist who became their friend, then their enemy, and then their friend again.

Varian just stood there, thinking for a second about what he was talking about until his eyes widened. He remembered that day. "That was you?" he said, pointing at the ex-thief. Lance nodded, a little embarrassed. "Huh. Well I remember someone gave it back to me, so I guess it's fine," the young alchemist said reluctantly. He remembered being very upset about that at such a young age, but it felt so unimportant now. Plus, he did remember getting it back from someone else. Clean and still okay to eat. So no harm done.

"Does that mean you accept Lance's apology?" Rapunzel asked hopefully.

Varian smiled. "Yes. I accept your apology," he said to Lance.

Lance stopped rubbing his sore ear and smiled too. "Thanks, little man." Then the two shook hands.

"You know, all of a sudden, I'm craving sugar," Varian stated after taking his hand back. "Anyone wanna go over to Uncle Monty's with me for something sweet?" he asked all the people with him in the forge.

"Don't mind if I do," said Lance.

"I'm in," Rapunzel also accepted. She and Uncle Monty still didn't quite get along, but he still welcomed her as a costumer and she loved his goodies.

Xavier humbly declined to go with, but Varian promised to go and come back so they could keep talking.

When they reached Uncle Monty's, Lance bought a bag of his favorite gumballs and Rapunzel bought some chocolate covered peanuts.

Varian of course got another lollipop. Grape flavored this time.

As Lance chewed on one of his gumballs, just before Varian could take his fist lick, Lance made a playful grab for the stick. But this time, Varian saw it coming and swiftly ducked and stepped gracefully away just in time.

Varian looked back at his older friend, a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Get your own," he said to Lance teasingly.

Lance chuckled as Varian happily licked his lollipop.

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**Hope u enjoyed this quick story. Only took me a day, this one. **

**Please review (but be kind), favorite, and follow. And feel free to go to my profile to find my Tangled: The Series stories with a Varian love-interest. **

**Bye ;)**


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